12th December 2017 Rural Transport Study 2nd draft report Introduction Introduction: purpose of commission

The Study Brief Project method & reporting

The study, commissioned by Monmouthshire County Council on behalf of the The project method comprised the following steps. This report is Value of Local Action Group (Vale of Usk LAG) is to investigate the dynamics presented in relation to these 4 areas:

of rural transport in Monmouthshire and Rural Newport.  1) Context setting: policy and context review, description of existing The Vale of Usk LAG recognises the need to address issues such as rural transport services, mapping of key demographic stats isolation, access to basic services, rural poverty and poor digital infrastructure.  2) Stakeholder and public consultation All of these issues can be supported through the improvement of rural  3) Identification of challenges, opportunities and potential types of transport. The study will bring together and consult with key stakeholders as solutions mentioned above to address the issues of rural poverty, isolation and improving  4) Recommendations access to digital infrastructure. Appendix A provides a range of good practice case studies featuring a variety of schemes that have sought to improve accessibility to services The study will include recommended cost effective solutions that will help and facilities in rural areas, or have sought to improve transport access. integrate transport with local services to alleviate issues such as:

 Rural isolation by helping connect those who have no means to getting to local services such as shops, doctors/hospital appointments, to socialise with others in their community and employment.

 Rural poverty by helping people reach advice surgeries, digital active areas, fresh produce and advice centres.

 Lack of digital infrastructure. By improving transport more people will be able to get to areas where there is free Wi-Fi such as village halls, local hubs and towns. 1. Setting the context Setting the Context: Background to the Vale of Usk

Overview Population projections for Monmouthshire show that the population is The Vale of Usk comprises Monmouthshire county and the rural wards of ageing, with the proportion of residents aged over 65 expected to increase

Newport, with a total population of 127,964 (1). The Vale of Usk concept was from 24% to 37% by 2039 and the population aged 85 and over is projected created by the Vale of Usk Local Action Group (LAG) as the areas are similar to increase from 3.1% to 8.7% (3). The county also has a lower than average in nature and have shared transport connections. proportion of young people. The region is a beautiful rural area located adjacent to the Brecon Beacons Monmouthshire has a strong volunteer base, both formal (63.3%) and and the Welsh Borders/Offa’s Dyke. Although predominantly rural in nature, informal (77.4%) (3). It is evident that neighbours, friends and families there are key service centres at , , , informally volunteer by providing transport and practical help to access Caldicot, , Usk, Magor and Gilwern, with the majority of the services. population concentrated around the M4 corridor and Abergavenny district. The Vale of Usk is an affluent part of , with none of its constituent lower super output areas in the most deprived 10% in Wales (2014 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation). Monmouthshire and Newport both have relatively high proportions of economically active, 79% and 77% respectively

(1). Although there is employment in the local area, there is also a strong element of out-commuting to other major centres such as and . A significant proportion of Monmouthshire’s working age population

work from home (8.9%) (2). Tourism plays a significant part in Monmouthshire's economy, contributing £165.5 million and 12.1% of employment in the region, higher than the Welsh average (9.6%). High proportions of employment are also in the public

sector (33.3%) and retail/leisure (27.4%) (2).

1) Vale of Usk LAG, Vale of Usk Local Development Strategy, 2014 2) Monmouthshire County Council, Adopted Local Development Plan, 2014 3) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017 Setting the Context: Maps of the area

Vale of Usk wards Vale of Usk towns

The Vale of Usk includes 47 wards, 5 of which are in Newport and the rest comprise Monmouthshire county. There are 8 towns in the region. Setting the Context: services and amenities in town centres

Map showing service centres and key amenities The map shows that the majority of services are concentrated in the town centres, with Abergavenny and Chepstow being the best provided for . Some local villages have a limited number of services, namely post offices and convenience stores.

Table showing facilities in town centres

Service Abergavenny Chepstow Monmouth Caldicot Caerleon Usk Magor Gilwern Total Bus station 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Cinema 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 Community hall/centre 4 3 1 1 0 1 0 2 12 Convenience store 13 9 7 5 6 1 0 2 43 Day care 2 5 2 3 6 1 2 1 22 Further education 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 GP 3 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 15 Hospital 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 Independent school 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 Post office 2 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 14 Primary school 7 4 3 5 2 1 2 1 25 Secondary school 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 5 Sports hall/centre 1 2 4 4 2 0 0 0 13 Supermarket 2 3 2 3 0 1 2 0 13 Train station 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 Total services 40 34 31 28 20 9 8 8 178 Setting the Context: rural accessibility

Map showing population density Monmouthshire has a relatively low population density of 1.1 persons per hectare, compared to a Welsh average of 1.5 (Office for National Statistics). Additionally, only 53% of the population live in wards defined as being urban areas, reflecting the area’s

predominantly rural nature (1). The map to the right shows Vale of Usk wards by population density, of which 32% have population densities lower than 1

person per hectare (2). As expected, the areas with higher population densities generally correspond to the town centres. Due to its rural nature, residents face difficulties accessing local services causing negative impacts on isolation and exclusion. This is reflected in the poor scoring for Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation in regard to access to services. Of the 75 lower super output areas in the Vale of Usk, 20% are in the most deprived 10% for access to services. These issues affect more vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young people disproportionately.

1) Monmouthshire County Council, Adopted Local Development Plan, 2014 2) 2011 census Setting the Context: rural accessibility

Map showing rural accessibility deprivation Map showing ageing population

Although the areas with the largest proportions of elderly people are not Llabadoc. These areas are also relatively more sparsely populated (see map classified as deprived in regard to access to services, there are areas which have previous slide) which is likely to accentuate these issues as this can lead to rural significant elderly populations and fall into this category. These areas are isolation to which the elderly are more vulnerable. situated in the middle of the Vale of Usk, and include , St Arvans and Setting the Context: Policy background

Current policy lends support to improvements to rural accessibility and  Vale of Usk Local Development Strategy (2014-2021) transport in Monmouthshire, Newport and the Vale of Usk.  Monmouthshire County Council Adopted Local Development Plan The Local Development Strategy produced by the Vale of Usk Local Action (LDP) (2014)

Group (LAG) states promoting social inclusion as its main objective: “To  Local Development Plan develop a connected territory that links rural hubs and places through digital  Monmouthshire well-being Assessment technology, up-skilling communities for community and social benefit whilst addressing poverty, exclusion and isolation”. As such, actions including training  Community Led and Whole Place Plans such as ‘Seven for Severnside’, ‘Better Bryn-y-Cwm’ , The Narth & District in digital technology and e-learning opportunities are suggested as methods to Community Led Plan and Raglan Community Plan combat the social exclusion.  Monmouthshire County Council Local Transport Plan Monmouthshire County Council’s Local Development Plan sets out the Council’s vision and objectives for the development and use of land within its  Regional Transport Plan administrative area. The vision states that by 2021 Monmouth will be a place where “there is better access to local services, facilities and employment opportunities”. The LTP acknowledges the lack of realistic opportunities to car use in rural Monmouthshire, but places emphasis on improving the opportunities for sustainable travel through the ‘Achieving Sustainable Accessibility’ theme. These priorities are echoed in the Monmouthshire County Council Local Transport Plan in a detailed programme of actions such as improvements to the Severn Tunnel Junction and Active Travel Network in Magor and . Policy background continued

The Monmouthshire Well-Being Assessment Within the ‘Community Health and Well-Being’ theme in the Severn for The Monmouthshire Well-Being Assessment, produced by the Severnside Plan, improvements in access to health and well-being service Monmouthshire Public Service Board (PSB) provides an assessment of the provision and interventions designed to improve community health is state of economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of the area. prioritised. In addition to this, provision of enhanced facilities for young people Issues flagged include limited public transport and the ageing population. is deemed as important. Whole Place Community Plans The Bryn Y Cwm Plan recognises the challenges of the ageing population and rural isolation. Activities such as enhancing the focus of a library to act as a hub In 2012, Monmouthshire County Council embraced the new ‘whole place’ for life skills and a programme of inter-generational activities are suggested to approach to community planning encouraged by the . A combat issues. Whole Place Plan is produced after a series of consultations done within the community. Monmouthshire is the only authority piloting an approach to Community-led Plans “Whole Place” in Wales. Operating at population levels of approximately 20 – Community-led plans enable all sections of communities to give their opinions 25,000 people, the four main “administrative” areas provide a useful footprint on what is valued, what opportunities could be explored and what possible around which to develop “Whole Place” in Monmouthshire. Plans have been solutions there are to problems. developed for two of the areas so far: The Narth & District Community Plan indicates a need for more youth oriented

 Severn for Severnside (Caldicot and surroundings); activities as young people voiced concerns about the ability to meet up and

 Bryn Y Cwm (Abergavenny and surroundings). hang out with friends. The plan also discusses the potential for mobile prescription and other delivery services in area. The plans summarise all the needs, issues and challenges facing the community and attempt to provide mechanisms of pooling available In the Raglan Community Plan, raising awareness of the Grass Routes resources to address these. Community Bus Service was made an objective, as was the possibility of including an IT Centre in the local Community Centre. Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk Car ownership and usage

Car ownership and usage Map showing percent no car Due to the rural nature of the Vale of Usk there is high car ownership and reliance in the region. 14% of households in the Vale of Usk have no car or van

(1), this is significantly lower than the Welsh average of 23%. However, the impact on carless households is significant due to relatively further distances

to travel to services (2). The map to the right shows percentage of households without a car or van. As expected, a higher proportion of the population own cars in rural areas compared to the more densely populated areas surrounding towns, as car ownership is less necessary and public transport more prevalent. Car ownership rates range from 63% to 94% of households between wards in the Vale of Usk.

1) 2011 census 2) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017 Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: bus services

No. Route Map showing bus services 1 Hill - Brynmawr 34 Monmouth – Ross on Wye 35 Monmouth – Ross on Wye 35a Monmouth – Cinderford 36 Monmouth – Hereford 43/x43 Abergavenny – Crickhowell – Brecon 45 Abergavenny – Llwynu Estate 46 Abergavenny – Knoll Estate 47 Abergavenny Town Service 54 Birdstow – Monmouth 60 Monmouth – Newport 63 – Usk – Chepstow 65 Chepstow – – Monmouth 69 Chepstow – – Monmouth 73 Newport – Chepstow 74/X74 Newport – Caldicot – Chepstow 75 Caldicot – – Sudbrook 83 Abergavenny – Monmouth 438 St Weonards – Abergavenny (Tuesdays only) 755 Chepstow – Lydney 761 Chepstow – Sedbury – Beachley C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 Chepstow Town Services W3 W4 W5 Monmouth Town Services X3 Hereford – Abergavenny – Cwmbran – Cardiff X4 Abergavenny – Brynmawr – Merthyr – Cardiff X7 Bristol – Chepstow – Newport X20 Newport – Cwmbran – Abergavenny Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: bus services

Bus operators Taxi operators The following bus operators serve the area: There are seven taxi operators located in Monmouthshire.

• First; Uber advertise a base fare of £2 and a cost of £0.15 per minute and £1.20 per

• George Young’s; mile.

• James Bevan;

• Monmouthshire County Council;

• Newport Buses;

• Phil Anslow Coaches;

• Rees Travel;

• Stagecoach. Questions for PTU:

• % of services that are commercial?

• Number of subsidised services?

• Patronage trends for bus use?

• Cost of concessionary fares support?

• Cost of subsidy support?

• % fares coming through fare box vs. subsidy / concessions? Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: Rail

Rail services There are four rail stations in Vale of Usk Valley Abergavenny station lies on the Welsh Marshes line which runs from Newport to the North West of England via Hereford. There are also stations at Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicot and Chepstow served by Gloucester – Cardiff services. Rail passenger growth at the stations in Monmouthshire has been substantial. Over the ten years of the Arriva Trains Wales franchise, Abergavenny has seen growth of 43%, Caldicot 88%, Severn Tunnel Junction 92% and Chepstow 136%. Interchanges at Severn Tunnel Junction

are estimated to have increased by more than 300% (1). Newport station is not included in the Vale of Usk but is an important mainline station on the Cardiff/West Wales and Bristol/London route.

1) Monmouthshire County Council, Local Transport Plan, 2015 Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: Grass Routes

The Grass Routes service started in 2004 and has gradually expanded, The in-house fleet used to operate Grass Routes has grown and currently replacing various occasional bus services. Currently, on busiest days there can there is no spare depot space. The authority is therefore looking for new be 17 vehicles performing Grass Routes Services in Monmouthshire providing depot facilities. There are currently over 50 vehicles (including 22 coaches transport for 5,000 passengers per month. for school transport). Vehicles operate under an PSV ‘O’ licence as well as under section 19 and 22 permits. Coach drivers have full PCV licences and The scheme operates on a membership basis and is open to all members of Driver CPCs. Some of the DRT Grass Routes Services use volunteer drives the community. The cost of membership is a one off payment of £5 per (although this has decreased over years). Minibuses are also available for hire household of up to four members. by community groups and local organisations The cost for Grass Routes Services is £3 for a single journey and £5 for a return The Council has developed its own fleet because of the lack of commercial journey made on the same day. There is a 50% discount for under 18s and bus, coach and minibus operators across the area. Operators are also concessionary passes are accepted on all services. Vehicles are low floor and constrained by shortages of drivers and the increasing age of drivers. The fully accessible. A lot of Grass Routes journey bookings are for medical Council is moving to a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for its procurement appointments. of transport services – this will allow operators to join at any time, as To book a journey on the bus, members of the scheme need to call a free opposed to the current Framework. phone number that operates from 9am to 4.30pm, 24hrs in advance. Calls are Some areas of Newport (Wetlands, Oakcliffe, Marshfield) will move to DRT taken for Grass Routes by staff in Chepstow. This has grown over time and is operation, particularly as current service X6 will be withdrawn in January now operating at almost capacity. 2018. The DRT service will provide a feeder to/from other regular mainline Grass Routes provides a mix of semi-fixed and totally flexible services. Some services. Calls for DRT in Newport are taken by . There is no services focus on certain market towns on certain days (often reflecting community transport scheme in Newport. historic market day demands) and others are timetabled such as the 64 service between Monmouth and Chepstow. A morning and evening peak time commuter service links areas such as Magor and Caldicot to/from Severn Tunnel Junction station.

Monmouthshire County Council, Grass Routes Community Transport, 2017 Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: Community transport / volunteer car schemes

Monmouth Dial-a-Ride Monmouth Dial-A-Ride is a local transport service run by Bridges and Monmouthshire County Council. The service is available Mondays and Thursdays, picking up between 9am and 5pm, using a fully accessible

low-floor minibus capable of transporting wheelchairs (1) Bridges Community Car Scheme The Bridges Centre also operates a community car scheme aimed at people who face barriers in using public transport, taxis or existing community transport. The scheme relies on volunteer drivers who use their own cars to support people to access facilities and appointments. The scheme started in 2016. There is a 50p booking fee and 45p per

mile charge to cover fuel expenses for the driver (2) Torfaen Community Transport is based on Cwmbran Shopping Centre and has served disabled, elderly and people with limited mobility for the past 30 years. 28,000 journeys are made annually and the help of

volunteers is required (3)

1) Bridges Centre, Community Transport, 2016 2) Bridges Centre, Bridges Community Car Scheme, 2016 3) Argus, AM visits community bus service which is lifeline for elderly, 2015 Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk: School transport and SEN

School transport SEN provision Primary school children receive free transport if living more than 1.5 miles Special Educational Needs schools are virtually all out-of-county (Bristol, from the catchment or nearest school. Ebbw Vale, Worcester) therefore relatively high cost of transport per pupil. Secondary school children receive free transport if living more than 2 miles For example, there are 3 taxis to a school in Bristol every day, each with a from the catchment or nearest school passenger assistant. Post 16 students receive no supported transport, apart from concessionary places being available on school contract vehicles. The main college destinations are Newport or Pontypool. In Monmouthshire, eligibility extends to catchment school as well as nearest available school. Therefore, in some areas in-between towns (e.g. between Abergavenny and Monmouth), transport is provided in two directions, where one school is nearest and one catchment. Pupils from Usk attend secondary school in Caerleon (Newport), although some parents choose to send their children to Monmouth. Monmouthshire Council arranges a transport service on behalf of (and paid by) a school in Gloucestershire to which some parents choose to send their children. Transport is provided to Catholic schools in Newport (St Joseph’s) and Pontypool (St Alban’s). There is also transport to Welsh schools in Pontypool (currently 3 buses and a minibus) and Newport (currently 2 buses). Here they are building a new school, so it is likely that its attraction will grow. In Newport, most school transport is provided by issue of season tickets to pupils to travel on the bus network. Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk Concessionary travel for older people, disabled people

Bus Pass - Over 60s: Travel free of charge on almost all local bus services in Wales and, in some cases, to towns just over the border in England. Disabled persons concessions A disabled person’s concessionary travel pass is issued to people in Newport and Monmouthshire who are: blind or partially sighted OR profoundly or severely deaf OR without speech OR have reduced ability to walk or are unable to walk OR are without arms or have a long-term loss of use of both arms OR have a learning disability OR are unfit to drive for medical reasons Eligibility guidance is provided at: http://www.newport.gov.uk/documents/Care-and-Support/Disabled-Bus- Pass-application-and-guidance.pdf Monmouthshire residents must request a disabled persons travel pass application from their local one stop shop. Companion bus pass: A companion bus pass is issued to people who meet the criteria for a disabled persons’ concessionary travel pass and who are so severely disabled that it would be impossible for them to use public transport without help from a companion. Setting the Context: Transport Provision in the Vale of Usk Health Transport / Social Care Transport

Health Transport Social Care Transport To book transport, there is a first time booking number (0800 32 82 332 Social care transport is not arranged by the Passenger Transport Team, which is available to call between 8:30am and 6:00 on weekdays, to book apart from a couple of the in-house fleet being used to provide a couple subsequent appointments there is a different telephone number (0300 100 of runs. Some day centres have their own vehicles, although overall 00 12) which can be called between 8:00am and 4:30pm on weekdays. provision has been reducing over recent years. There was a previous attempt to integrate social care transport with other transport but it was The vehicles used are modern and can convey a wide range of patients unsuccessful, particularly because drivers were also carers at centres and including those who need stretchers, wheelchairs and patients with limited so were not available to driver their vehicles between 1030 and 1430. walking mobility. A large number of journeys are made by volunteer drivers. For the Vale of Usk region, health appointments tend to either by at hospitals in Abergavenny or Newport. Over the years, attempts by Monmouthshire County Council to collaborate with the NHS on transport provision have been made, but have not got anywhere. For example, prices were given to the ambulance service to provide some transport for renal dialysis patients, but ultimately these were not taken up. Torfaen CT does provide some renal patient transport for the ambulance service. Grass Routes reports that a lot of the journeys it makes are for medical appointments. Would you be able to draw an Setting the Context: organisational chart to show how transport is arranged in organisational diagram of transport provision for Devon Monmouthshire? Setting the Context: Travel Patterns

Journey to work Map showing journey to work (2) Using Census 2011 data, the map shows journey to work ‘spider diagram’. The strong lines show the movements between primary centres. Cardiff and Bristol are strong pulls outside the region. The rural nature of the region means origins are dispersed, creating challenges for providing strong public transport services. This diagram echoes the results of the 2011 census which suggests that only 46% Monmouthshire’s working population work locally. The remaining 56% commute out of Monmouthshire to Newport, Torfaen and Cardiff. Further residents commute outside the Welsh border. In Monmouthshire, there is a net outflow

of nearly 5000 commuters (2)

17,540 15,266 12,988

Out commuting Work locally In-commuting

1) Monmouthshire County Council, Adopted Local Development Plan, 2014 2) 2011 Census Travel To Work data 2. Stakeholder and public consultation Introduction

There has been a significant amount of consultation and research For this project, we undertook stakeholder consultation through a workshop, held carried out in Monmouthshire and rural Newport to discuss and in Saint Michael’s Centre, Abergavenny on 24th November 2017, which we examine transport issues. highlight overleaf. As well as consultations on the Local Development Plan, Local Transport Plan and Regional Transport Plan, stakeholders and public have been consulted during the production of the Vale of Usk Development Strategy and the Monmouthshire Well-Being Assessment. Community led and Whole Place Plans have subsequently been developed, incorporating local consultation. The diagram opposite, from the Vale of Usk Local Development Strategy shows people’s ratings of various attributes and amenities locally. It clearly demonstrated that transport and accessibility issues were high priorities, with public transport scoring poorly, as did local job opportunities, quality of mobile phone signal and quality of broadband. Dr Liz Bickerton’s research involved deep engagement with 5 illustrative communities around Monmouthshire to explore detailed accessibility and mobility issues affecting different types of people in different types of area. The Community Councils have been tasked with consulting and involving people in the localities in discussing issues relating to well- being and whole place plans.

1) Vale of Usk LAG, Vale of Usk Local Development Strategy, 2014 Stakeholder Workshop

A stakeholder workshop was held on 24th November.

A total of 53 participants attended, including a wide range of Council services, community representatives, stakeholders such as health services and transport operators, including bus, taxi and community transport.

To be completed. 3. Challenges and opportunities Introduction

This section brings together information from the background research, policy context and consultation to consider what some of the key accessibility and mobility challenges are for the area. Which types of people are likely to face accessibility and mobility challenges, for what types of journeys and in what types of locality? Demographic groups at risk:

• Older people

• Young people

• Low income

• Non-car owning

• Living outside the main towns / service centres

• People with disabilities or mobility impairments, where the issue of poor rural accessibility is compounded by inaccessible transport services or infrastructure. Types of journey:

• Some commuting to work locations

• Trips to education, particularly to FE colleges outside the area. Geographies

• Areas outside towns. Wards showing 10% most accessibility deprived.

• Night-time: evening economy Challenges: Accessibility challenges for different demographic groups: older people

Older people face particular accessibility challenges due to their declining Where there is public transport, some older people face problems in using mobility coupled with the increased need to access some services, such as public transport due to difficulties in boarding and alighting and also where health services. stops are more than a critical distance from home or destination. Access to bus

Population projections for Monmouthshire show that proportions of residents transport arose as a major issue in Liz Bickerton’s research(4) with concerns aged 65 and over is expected to increase from 24% to 37% by 2039. including difficulty in reaching steep footbridges, lack of dropped kerbs and Furthermore, the population that will be aged 85 and over is projected to general dissatisfaction with destinations, routes and frequencies. Issues of overcrowding on certain bus routes were also highlighted by respondents, increase from 3.1% to 8.7% over this time period (1). These proportions of older people are far higher than the Welsh average. which are likely to effect elderly passengers disproportionately and discourage them from making certain journeys. There is also a lack of awareness of Grass Older people are less likely to own a car than their younger counterparts due Routes Community Bus amongst non-users. to factors such as confidence issues, health conditions and affordability. Of the 20,709 over 65s living in the Vale of Usk, 16% live alone without a car. This is As a result of the lack of transport options, some elderly people may be unable to access the services that they value such as local village shops and significantly higher than the Welsh average of 3% (2). post offices. These services act as community hubs and provide a place for Financial poverty in rural areas is highly concentrated amongst older people (3). daily interaction. This can lead to loss of independence, feelings of loneliness An ageing population is the most important factor in the increasing prevalence and poor health. of rural isolation (1). The lack of access to a car can be worsened by living alone as social contacts cannot be satisfied within the home and chances of getting a lift are lower. Evans (2001) states that elderly people with no access to cars are considered “among the least mobile, among those most at risk for social isolation and

inadequate service availability”(4). The lack of public transport in many areas is likely to leave many older people in the Vale of Usk with unmet travel needs.

1) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017. 4) Evans, E.L, Influences on mobility among non-driving Americans, 2001 2) 2011 census 5) Liz Bickerton, Exploring New Ways of Providing Non-statutory Services, 2017. 3) Local Government Association, Health and well-being in rural areas, 2017 Challenges: Accessibility challenges for different demographic groups Younger people

Younger people Non-car owners The ability to drive is considered ‘vital’ for older young people due to limited Services such as hospitals, supermarkets and schools are located in urban public transport to access education and social destinations. However, this areas or are designed to be accessed by car. Therefore, for those living in rural presents challenges for younger people due to affordability, high insurance areas, the car is generally the favoured mode of transport. Unlike public costs and low financial independence. Those unable to drive tend to rely on transport, it is available at any hour, provides door-to door transport and transport from parents in order to participate in activities and access allows people to travel where and when they want. For those without a car education and work. and living in rural areas, issues of mobility and accessibility arise.

Without private transport, young people living in rural areas face being 15.2% of households in Monmouthshire are without access to a car (1), this is socially isolated in the Vale of Usk. This can negatively influence education, significantly lower than the Welsh average but considering the rural nature of job and training opportunities. Monmouthshire and the Vale of Usk, the impact on carless households is Research commissioned by the Audit Commission in 2010 estimated the likely to be significant. average lifetime cost of individual young people being NEET between the ages of 16-18 to be around £56,000 in public finance costs and £104,000 in resource costs (lost labor market potential). NEET figures for Monmouthshire have been consistently below the Welsh average, though the Monmouthshire NEET Reduction Strategy continues to pursue commitment to reducing the

NEET population (1). Liz Bickerton’s research identified a lack of facilities for young people to undertake ‘meaningful activity’ and that instead, young people are hanging around shopping centres, bus stops etc.

1) Monmouthshire County Council, Monmouthshire NEET Reduction Strategy, 2015 2) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017 Challenges: Accessibility to services and amenities

Access to services from rural areas Connectivity There is notably higher average public transport time to services for Rural isolation can be exacerbated by the lack of a wireless internet Monmouthshire residents than in than in other parts of Wales (1) connection or mobile phone signal. The importance of improving digital connectivity in the Vale of Usk is reinforced in the Local Development Stategy, in which “Exploitation of digital technology” was ranked as first priority theme in consultation within the Vale of Usk committees and stakeholders. There is widespread demand for faster broadband and better mobile coverage in the Vale of Usk, hence 90% of respondents stated they would like faster broadband in the Llangdo Community Plan. However, difficulties in supplying small villages with wireless broadband is noted by Accessing hospital appointments is an issue in this area, particularly as those Liz Bickerton in her research. with mobility difficulties are likely to have proportionately more appointments. The Monmouthshire Well-Being Assessment links this issue In the Narth & District Community Plan, informing public representatives with limitations to the Grass Routes Bus Service, and Liz Bickerton’s research and communications service providers of the strength of feeling about identifies the hospital in Usk as being inaccessible for residents of Llangybi. poor mobile phone and broadband services is set as an objective. Similarly, there are access issues for children going to school which are Despite difficulties and weak connections, 79% households in accentuated by inability to drive. 45% of primary school and 80% of secondary Monmouthshire currently have internet access (1). This varies depending school pupils travel over 1 mile to school. This means parents either have to on household composition. Liz Bickerton’s (2) research found a reluctance drive children themselves or use a scholars service. to use technology especially for anything financial and especially amongst older residents, reflecting The Older People’s Commissioner notes that 35% of people aged 50+ in Wales are digitally excluded (1).

1) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017. 2) Liz Bickerton, Exploring New Ways of Providing Non-statutory Services, 2017. Challenges: Transport Provision Bus

Residents of the Vale of Usk appear to be largely unsatisfied with the bus and Underwood: There is an on-demand bus service (63) provided by service on offer. In Liz Bickerton’s research, this was identified as a Newport Bus that runs between Bishton – Newport. It is pre-booked by problem in most of the pilot communities. customers and uses smaller vehicles than buses. Transport can be booked at least 24 hours in advance. This service offers greater flexibility to cope with A large proportion of people never use the bus (e.g. 51% in Raglan) (1). local people’s appointments and work schedules. However, residents of Therefore buses are generally underused, leading to a downward spiral of Bishton reported that the 63 on-demand bus is not able to link to Underwood decline. Factors influencing this include frequency and range of or to Chepstow Road, . Underwood is served by 74 bus which goes destinations. In the Narth Community Plan, 52% of respondents said they from Newport to Chepstow, and every second bus goes via Maindee, but has would use the bus more often if timetables were more suited to their issues with overcrowding. needs. Currently, only 5% said they used the bus at least once a week (3). : residents reported that the village falls in a gap between the Specifically, the following comments were made in residents’ Abergavenny circular which comes out to Llanellen and the ASDA bus which consultations in different sub-areas: comes out to . Llanover residents also said buses were costly. Magor and Undy: The only bus service running through the Magor and Llangybi: In Llangybi, residents reported issues with using the bus to access Undy community is the 74 from Newport to Chepstow. This same bus also health services in Usk. Additionally, the 60 bus service between Newport, passes through Underwood. For residents of Magor and Undy this results Caereleon and Usk has been cut, which used to run through Llangybi. in a very long journey to get to Newport, and residents of Underwood Residents report long waits in Usk when trying to attend doctor’s complain as the bus is overcrowded with people from further up the appointments in the town. Residents were concerned about their mobility if route. Young adults in Magor and Underwood reported that they relied they were unable to drive in the future due to the unreliability of bus services. on parents to reach work or college. Llangdo: No one interviewed in LLangdo complained about the bus service.

1) Liz Bickerton, Exploring New Ways of Providing Non-statutory Services, 2017. 2) Raglan Community Council, Raglan Community Led Plan, 2014. 3) The Narth & District Community Plan Steering Group, The Narth & District Community Led Plan, 2015. Challenges: Transport Provision Grass Routes, Taxi

Grass Routes Taxi Signing up for Grass Routes is difficult as there is no online platform for Liz Bickerton’s research identified that taxis were used in communities, but doing so. Instead, there is a contact number for signing up and booking for most only for very special and essential journeys due to cost. However, seats. This may discourage people from signing up and using the service, those who used taxis frequently reported inadequate supply, especially for especially as calls have to be made between 9am – 4:30pm. Seats also those with disabilities who said that appropriate taxis are not always have to be booked 24 hours in advance, providing barriers to spontaneous available. Due to the high cost of taxis in Monmouthshire, some people use and discretionary travel. taxis to link to bus or rail services, such as pupils of Hereford Sixth Form As such, in Raglan 80% of people reported they had never used a Grass College living in Llangdo who get taxis to link to the Monmouth bus. Routes service and 81% felt that it doesn’t travel to their desired These issues suggest that expansion of the taxi service on offer would be

destination (1). Residents of Llangbi and Llanover gave a similar response valuable in the Vale of Usk if prices were lower and accessible taxis more

(2). However, this is not consistent as some groups such as pensioners in readily available.

Underwood (1) use Grass Routes regularly, suggesting that there are disparities in availability and ease of access to these services. Grass Routes near capacity and no depot space.

1) Raglan Community Council, Raglan Community Plan, 2014 2) Liz Bickerton, Exploring New Ways of Providing Non-statutory Services, 2017. Challenges: Vale of Usk in the future

Some of the future trends that present challenges include:

• An ageing population: The Monmouthshire Well-Being Assessment identifies the ageing population in Monmouthshire as the most important factor in the increasing prevalence of rural isolation. Population projections show that the proportion of residents aged 65 and over is expected to increase from 24% to 37% by 2039, and from

3.1% to 8.7% for the population aged over 85 (1);

• A growing number of children are reliant on parents in rural areas for transporting them to activities (due to declining services, lifestyle changes such as school choice, declining licence holding and affordability, and living at home for longer);

• Declining Local Authority budgets to subsidise bus services (together with increasing costs of social care, health care etc.);

• Bus patronage is on a long declining trend in rural areas, further eroding the commercial network;

• The older person’s concessionary bus pass is declining in usefulness as the availability of conventional bus services reduces. It is likely that the commitment to free travel over retirement age will be eroded in time;

• There is a trend of increasing out-commuting towards Bristol. There is already evidence of increased levels of commuting to Bristol due to the strength of the city region, a shortage of homes, and relative house prices and quality of life in Monmouthshire.

Planned reductions in the Severn Bridge toll price (1) will increase the attractiveness of commuting to Bristol.

1) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017 Opportunities: Vale of Usk in the future

Some of the key opportunities for addressing transport and access challenges include:

• Existing transport assets and services to build on: Grass Routes, Bridges Community Car Scheme, bus operators, taxi providers (who are amenable to shared journeys);

• Spare capacity amongst operators (such as buses between school runs);

• New technology enabling better connectivity, real time information, dynamic fleet management and booking. This could enable new demand responsive services to be introduced, or for bookings to be made more instantaneously;

• Improved broadband and mobile phone connectivity will overcome issues of poor connectivity in the future, enabling people to reliably access transport information on the move;

• Similarly, over time, smartphone and internet availability are becoming more pervasive and population cohorts are becoming increasingly used to using these and to participating in the sharing economy, meaning a cultural shift is possible to using more dynamic, shared transport modes;

• Despite austerity, a large amount of money is spent on transport provision by public sector, including transport department, health sector, social care, statutory provision to schools etc. Can some of this money be used to deliver more cost- efficient services? Invest to save?

• Monmouthshire has good tradition of volunteering: can new systems and services build on this (rather than undermine it by cutting across it or introducing overly bureaucratic solutions)? Potential types of solutions

Potential types of solutions to the rural challenges faced can be grouped Improving transport:

around two themes: improving accessibility to services and improving • Enhancing the public transport network (strengthening core routes, transport to destinations. retiming to address departure/arrival times)

Appendix A provides some case study examples of methods to improve • Improving publicity and marketing of services

accessibility of services and improve rural transport under the following • Sharing transport provision: schools / non-emergency health themes: incorporated into ‘mainstream’ public transport

Improving accessibility to services: • Demand responsive services

• Delivering more services in local areas • Car clubs (for community and for Council pool fleets)

• Sustaining and developing activities within villages / service centres • Ride-sharing

• Pop-up shops and services • Community taxi schemes

Deliveries • Rural MaaS

• Deliveries / click & collect / pooling demand • Co-ordinating transport provision and booking

On-line access • Enhancing the link to public transport (first mile/last mile) • Providing services on-line (e.g. local government services)

• Providing better internet connectivity

• Digital hubs in villages

• Education and training to get people on-line / reduce digital exclusion 5. Recommendations Recommendations: Introduction

In this final section of the report, we provide our recommendations on Nonetheless, a ‘subsidy’ model for providing transport services is not appropriate next steps. sustainable in the long-term as financial stringencies are likely to worsen and needs are likely to grow. Many parts of Monmouthshire / rural Newport experience significant transport and accessibility problems. These are likely to get worse over Creative approaches need to be developed to improve the efficiency of time due to declining bus services and funding challenges. This will be rural transport and to bring in new revenue sources in order to make compounded by an ageing population, with lower than average mobility services financially sustainable in the long term, including customer and higher than average health and social needs. revenue and income from commissioning. ‘Social entrepreneurial’ models need to be investigated. Despite the above, there are numerous opportunities to improve rural transport and access to services. The area already has some good services The above needs to be done in a way that:

and providers. Grass Routes has made good progress at integrating • Builds on existing services and assets (rather than undermines or school, social care and community transport. Bridges Community Car replaces them);

Scheme provides an exemplar of community action to address the needs • Builds on and utilises Monmouthshire’s tradition of volunteering; of less mobile individuals. New technologies and service models offer the • Recognises that technology is an enabler, not the solution and that it potential to enable better integration of services, a more demand- adds to, rather than replaces, other means of service operation or responsive service and potentially enabling new types of transport supply communication with users. to be introduced. At the same time, these technologies could improve the You should: user experience of transport, with better access to more comprehensive information and more bespoke end to end journey solutions. • Improve co-ordination of existing services; In parallel with the above, action can be taken to make services and • Help stabilise and grow existing good services; amenities more accessible to people at home or in their local village or • Identify new potential solutions that can address problems / gaps in service centre. There are numerous examples within the area and beyond Monmouthshire;

of rural communities developing new services and activities locally. • Whilst nurturing local communities to provide more services and amenities locally. Recommendations: Strategic approach

A long-term approach and vision Short-term actions We propose the following long term approach and aims: Whilst holding this longer term vision, action should be taken in the short- term to address current gaps and problems, and to develop services, • Improve the co-ordination of transport services, bringing together the information flows and co-operation so that these new technology/service full range of providers onto a common platform. Encourage brokerage models can be exploited when they come on-stream. where appropriate providers are matched with appropriate needs; Below we identify a range of measures that could be taken now to help • Provide an enhanced user experience: present all transport options in improve rural transport provision and to help build the architecture for a common location and allow people to plan end to end journeys and future technology-enabled solutions. be referred to appropriate providers to their needs; Following presentation of this ‘long-list’ of measures, we make • Seek to establish a financially sustainable “social entrepreneurial” recommendations regarding: model, where local service providers are encouraged and enabled to meet transport needs and to actively seek out opportunities for • Governance: how the programme should be driven forward and the extending their service provision, such as securing commissioned work roles of different partners; through agencies such as health providers, social care and school • Funding sources for implementing different elements;

transport. • An action plan of the short-term measures and the facilitating In the long-term, this approach could evolve into a ‘rural Mobility as a measures that need to be taken. Service’ (MaaS) offering, where individuals make a journey request and are provided with a series of options from scheduled public transport service to demand responsive transport to taxi and can select which service they prefer. The process of people making journey enquiries provides further insight for the Authority and the ability to spot gaps in the market that may warrant a new service. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Introduction

We believe that you should develop transport interchanges and seek to We present the measures in relation to the following themes:

strengthen inter-urban train and commercial bus services on the core • Hub and spoke PT operations, with demand responsive services routes. From local interchanges, you should seek to strengthen the feeding into a strengthened core network, focused on the above provision of onwards travel, including demand-responsive, taxi, cycle and interchanges; car parking. • Improving Interchange at hubs: DRT / taxi / bike / car; You should extend the operation of successful service models, namely • Pooling of transport supply and brokerage (organisational diagram to Grass Routes and Bridges Community Car Scheme into all areas across. show services) and integrated service provision; You should bring together suppliers onto a common platform. • User information & journey planning; You should develop a user platform providing a journey planner and • Ticketing and payment integration: concessionary passes to provide access to information about different transport providers. discount on range of services – DRT, taxi, train; The above steps in developing a coherent transport network, ensuring a • In long-term seeking to bring together the above into a “Rural Mobility range of appropriate services are available across Monmouthshire, co- as a Service” offer. ordinating transport supply and providing a user platform to access At same time as the above, complementary work can be undertaken: information and services could pave the way for developing a rural MaaS offering in the longer-term. • Promoting active travel; Over the next pages, we present a range of measures that could be taken • Council work practices and car club; to improve transport provision in Monmouthshire and rural Newport. • Strengthening the role of service centres and villages, using variety of Some are ‘conventional’ measures. Some are already identified in techniques and local capacity to make services available locally and LTP/RTP. Others are longer-term innovative measures. improve the vitality of villages. New housing, employment and development should be focused around these hubs. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Improvements to bus network

We recommend a long-term approach to seeking to strengthen core public transport services (bus and train) between principal service centres, supported by local ‘first-mile’, ‘last-mile’ solutions and focused on transport interchanges. These interchanges could be village centres or rail stations. At these locations, a mixture of local bus services, demand responsive transport and taxis would provide the onward connection, as well as provision for cycling and for car parking. Specific recommendations include:

• Upgrading of X43 Brecon to Abergavenny service to Traws Cymru;

• Extension of Traws Cymru service to Monmouth (LTP proposal);

• Chepstow / Caldicot to Newport bus corridor improvement (LTP proposal);

• Rail-bus link services (LTP proposal);

• Investigate the opportunity to improve the regularity of the train service on the Abergavenny to Newport line (at the moment, there are some inconsistencies in departure times and gaps in the service), though patronage growth has been strong on this line. In addition to the above, it is important to ensure that all bus stops are fully accessible. All should incorporate, as a minimum, a flag, timetable case, up-to-date timetable and access to phone and web enquiries. Bus stops in poor state of repair to be replaced and a cleansing regime introduced. The opportunity to engage local communities to help maintain bus stops or fault report should be investigated. The opportunity to provide hail and ride to provide more flexibility of use should be investigated. This should include formal accessible boarding points. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Hubs and interchanges

We recommend that there is a strong focus on improving interchange, Several existing proposals in LTP should be taken forward using this both to improve the quality of public transport journeys as well as to build philosophy.

the infrastructure for future ‘first mile / last mile’ solutions., including • Abergavenny rail station access & interchange improvements: demand responsive transport / shared taxis, cycle parking, electric car and Improved cycle and pedestrian access, (incorporating level access) to bike charging, car club (where appropriate), and car parking. the rail station, information provision and signage, cycle storage, new These locations should provide comprehensive, easy to use passenger park & ride car park facility to the east of the station, and a bus turning information, including orientation maps of the local area, printed, leaflet point to enable direct bus access.

and real time travel information as well as web / phone support. • Magor & Undy new walkway rail station – access & interchange These interchanges should be branded and a focal point of the transport improvements: There are advanced proposals for a unique community network. walkway station for Magor & Undy, with a GRIP study to be conducted They should also be complemented by developing Active Travel networks to evaluate the site. It is proposed for the station to incorporate a in local communities to facilitate and encourage walking and cycling community centre, active travel access measures, information within towns and villages and to transport hubs, where practicable. provision and signage, integration with buses and a traffic management scheme for Magor with Undy. MCC would look to work These interchanges should be primary locations, such as main service with WG/NR in developing and implementing bus and active travel centres, village centres and train stations. Depending upon the local access measures for the station. context, you should seek to link physical interchanges with amenities such as café, or village hall, with digital access. Is there an opportunity to • Abergavenny Bus station improvement: Improve bus and pedestrian provide further services at or close to these interchanges, such as child access, facilities infrastructure and information including signage and care or click & collect / delivery services? visitor information) Interchanges should provide good quality heated waiting facilities and amenities such as cafés and refreshments, as well as digital access. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Demand-responsive services

Demand responsive covers a range of services from taxi and community • Making better use of under-used assets. Many school bus services remain car schemes offering door-to-door, end-to-end journeys through to semi- dormant during the day (between ~9.30am-2.30pm) and could fixed public transport routes. potentially be used to offer community services at a relatively low marginal cost during this time. Oxfordshire’s Comet service has utilised Levels of demand and dispersed journey patterns in ‘feeder areas’ make this model. scheduled, fixed public transport routes unviable. Existing and emerging technology makes the ability to run demand responsive services easier, as • In other parts of the country, crowd sourcing has been used to well as the ability to take passenger bookings more immediately and to demonstrate demand for a new service. Community Council consultations track vehicles in real time. with their constituents could be used to understand whether there is There is an opportunity to extend demand responsive services in the area. demand in a locality that could lead to a viable service.

• Grass Routes already operate a number of demand responsive services and have the operational capacity and know-how to deliver more. What needs to be done to extend their availability throughout Monmouthshire?

• Bridges Community Car Scheme / Dial-a-Ride already offer bespoke rides for people with limited mobility in the Monmouth area and could extend across Monmouthshire with additional co-ordinator capacity.

• Severn Tunnel Junction Rail Station pilot: this rail station has shown significant growth in use by out-commuters travelling towards Bristol / Cardiff and suffers car parking pressure. Is there an ability to pilot a demand-responsive bus service to bring people in to the station from its catchment, in a similar style to the Arriva Click service? Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Integrated service provision

Co-ordination Commissioning There is currently a wide range of different service types operating in Dialogue should be initiated with bodies commissioning transport services, different parts of Monmouthshire, serving different client bases. There is such as health care and social care to identify opportunities to fulfil their evidence that better co-ordination of services and better awareness of journey requirements via existing services or available capacity. This could what’s available could enable efficiency gains and use to be grown. potentially provide financial savings for commissioning bodies by providing Furthermore, there may be opportunities for transport operators to identify less costly journey solutions as well as improving outcomes, such as reducing opportunities for them to provide services that are not currently available or the number of do not attends. to provide commissioned services, such as trips to health facilities. Bringing Torfaen Community Transport has undertaken some work for the Welsh together operators and services onto a common platform will start to Ambulance Service under a Service Level Agreement and could offer insight enable potential opportunities to be identified, as well as being a necessary into appropriate routes into provision of some health transport. step to provide better customer information and awareness and providing the basis for potential brokerage. In order to investigate opportunities for commissioning services: In order to enable better co-ordination, the following steps should be taken: • Initiate discussion with Torfaen Community Transport to understand how their service operates and its replicability elsewhere in Monmouthshire; • Operators to make available their data on services, including routes and timetables for fixed services, information on areas covered by demand • Initiate discussion with Aneurin Bevan Health Trust Board on potential for responsive operations, eligibility criteria for use of their services, fare providing some non-emergency health transport. information and booking procedures. • Initiate discussion with Welsh Ambulance Trust on potential for undertaking some of their contracted services. • Development of a platform to hold information about services. Zipabout have developed a platform for Oxfordshire County Council which they • Initiate discussion with Social Services on opportunities for co-ordination. are offering to make available, free of charge to Local Authorities across the country.

• Start to develop this co-ordination platform in a pilot area with a Monmouthshire County Council resource. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Information and marketing

The disparate range of services and type of journeys being undertaken in rural The following steps should be taken to improve information: areas means that many people struggle to understand what transport is • Investigate potential platforms for hosting user information and available. It has been identified that many people are not aware of Grass providing a journey planner. We recommend an initial discussion with Routes services for example. Zipabout, who have developed a user platform for Oxfordshire.

There is therefore a need to significantly improve information availability and • Consider developing a user enquiry form that enables individuals to awareness. This should include information on routes and timetables, areas enter personal profile details and journey requests to provide further served by different demand responsive services, eligibility criteria for different insight into types of movement, as well as to enable individuals to be service providers, registration and booking information. advised on their eligibility (e.g. for concessionary passes) and services By pulling together the supply information (see co-ordination slide), this they can register for. information will be available to be presented on a user-focused platform. A • As part of their consultations with their communities, ask Community journey planner, which recognises multi-modal trips and demand-responsive Councils to investigate how different types of people in their localities services – will further help to make services more easy for people to search for information to make journeys. investigate and to use. This will also be an important preparatory step in In association with the above, when these systems are on-line, there developing the systems for a Rural MaaS. should be a concerted marketing and outreach campaign to raise In addition to putting information onto an on-line platform, it is important to awareness and sign up users. ensure that up-to-date information is provided across the transport network, at interchanges, community facilities, bus stops etc. There should also be information about eligibility for different transport services or concessions (e.g. areas covered by services, who can use Dial-a- Ride, etc.) as well as a personal enquiry form which allows individuals to enter details (such as age, home location, any mobility issues) which shows them what services are available and what support exists (e.g. concessionary pass), with opportunity to register / sign-up for these. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Integrated ticketing and payment

If we want to stimulate demand to increase the viability of services and The current older persons’ concessionary fare system is not fit for encourage people to use the range of transport services from bus and rail purpose. Many people who qualify for a pass do not have access to a to demand-responsive buses, community car schemes and taxis, including regular bus service. People fortunate enough to be close to a rail service multi-modal journeys, we need to make it easier for people to pay an cannot use concessionary passes on the train. There is evidence that a appropriate amount for their journeys. large number of people entitled to concessionary passes do not take them The ultimate objective is to provide end-to-end journey fares and up, or, having taken them up, do not use them. payment mechanisms, and is an enabling measure to move towards a At the moment, concessionary travel rules are nationally set. However, Rural MaaS solution. continued financial austerity and an ageing population mean that it is But the ability to understand how much different services cost and how to unlikely to be sustainable in the long-term. A concessionary scheme that purchase the best ticket is a fundamental starting point. It is still very offered discount across all modes rather than free bus and full price for challenging to find out information about bus fares on-line for example. everything else would be more equitable and more suitable to serving Monmouthshire’s transport needs. As stated on information slide, it is important that fares information is passed over so that information can be presented to users on the costs of The following steps should be taken: different journey options. This should be linked to eligibility (such as • Seek to bring fares data over into a user portal so that people can have whether they are eligible for a concessionary pass). access to fares information when planning journeys;

• Explore the possibility of conducting a pilot where concessionary users get an allowance across all modes; Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Towards a Rural MaaS

The above actions on transport co-ordination, information, fares and “Liberty” in the US is the first company to be seeking to develop rural payment will help lay the groundwork for providing a Rural MaaS MaaS solutions and has some initial schemes operating in several US system in the future, where transport suppliers are co-ordinated and states. They are keen to trial a couple of international pilots in the passengers are able to plan end-to-end journeys that display all the medium-term. To investigate the potential for Liberty, they have a transport options and fares, and enable them to choose and book the application process open in May 2018. they then work with successful appropriate journey. applicants to assess whether a system can be introduced, which would The diagram below shows how a digital booking platform and booking potentially be on the ground a year later. form mediates between suppliers and passengers.(1) • Continue conversation with Liberty, with a view to expressing an interest in the service in May 2018.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ts.catapult/wp- content/uploads/2017/07/18105529/00090-Rural-MaaS_Ready-for-Innovation-Small.pdf Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Promoting active travel

Promote active travel within towns and villages LTP projects:

• Active travel networks • Abergavenny and Active Travel Network

• active travel mapping. • Magor & Undy Active Travel Network

• Cycle parking • Usk Active Travel Network

Rural e-bikes: • Caldicot Active Travel Network

• Promoting uptake amongst residents for first-mile / last-mile; • Gilwern Active Travel Network

• Promoting uptake amongst tourist visitors. • Active Travel Mapping for communities Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Council working practices and car club

Council to adopt agile working and to look to make greater use of pool .. cars. Smarter Ways of Working Council to investigate opportunities for reducing its travel needs through smarter working, including better use of technology and remote and agile working. Council pool cars and community car club Introduce business travel hierarchy at Council which promotes avoiding travel where smarter working practices can help, use of sustainable travel modes, use of pool car and use of grey fleet as mode of last resort. Undertake business travel assessment to understand current mileage and working locations to assess the potential financial savings and appropriate location and size of pool car fleet. Note that 10 vehicles kept at County Hall. Not used during day, but kept for emergency at night. Circa £1.5m spent on business travel per year. Some pool cars introduced, but their use is patchy. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Strengthening village assets

Enabling new services to set up Improving digital connectivity • • Start up funding for community ventures. Broadband / 5G • • Reduced business rates for local shops. Abergavenny on-line town: Abergavenny Town Council exploring the potential of introducing town-wide public Wi-Fi. • Provide discounted charges for room rent etc. for new pop-up services to start and support with marketing. Digital hub project Mobile services • Llanover: has 3 village halls in clusters. £120k grant to provide amenities. Intention to provide on-line access, banking etc. • Review business case for offering mobile vs. static services (e.g. Opportunity for training people in using on-line services. Citizens invest in library and provide revenue support for transport to take skype into meetings. Jobseekers trained. people to library vs. pay for mobile libraries) • Magor: see slide xx. Banking services in Post Officers • Abergavenny Life Station and Learning for Life community: To • Anything that can be done to support the uptake of this? enhance the purpose and function of a new proposed Library Deliveries and click & collect facility for Abergavenny to offer a place for enabling personal • Could work for local suppliers to deliver to village hall or other fulfilment for the widest cross section of the population, acting hub: e.g. local food producers deliver to central place in villages as a hub for a Life Skills curriculum delivered via a network of where people collect community facilities. (Better Bryn y Cwm community plan) • Medical prescriptions service Digital exclusion project

• What happens with click & collect currently? • Bringing services to the community project: pilot in a village with a public building to bring in pop-up shops and to help businesses with marketing, servicing. Including measures to reduce business rates to services that are being trialled or piloted. Recommendations: Long list of potential measures: Engaging young people

Giving young people meaningful activity in rural areas emerged as a strong theme in Liz Bickerton’s research. Are there any ideas how we do this: Opportunities to support volunteers in setting up activities within local areas (e.g. youth groups, scouts / guides etc.) Opportunities to run children’s activities at or close to schools, extending school day. Opportunities to situate children’s / young people’s activities in particular centres so that transport serving similar destination? Can ‘mainline’ transport (bus or train) then be provided to transport them back to local hubs for pick up? I feel that this needs to be investigated at the local level to identify specific opportunities and needs. Recommendations: Governance and delivery

To take forward actions, appropriate governance and delivery mechanisms need to be established.

• Develop an action plan of short, medium and long-term actions, with nominated bodies and individuals to lead on each action and with identified funding.

• Appoint a lead body to take forward (PSB /Future Monmouthshire Board?)

• Identify a Council officer to lead on action plan and report on deliverables.

• Identify a Councillor champion to drive forwards.

• Undertake stakeholder mapping to identify current transport providers and partner organsiations.

• Identify a Local Mobility Manager to make links with partners to assist with project delivery on the ground

• Commission Community Councils to undertake community engagement to investigate community access and movement needs. Recommendations: Funding and business case

As has been acknowledged, a ‘subsidy model’ of supporting non-commercial • Leader: joint project with Pays du Bocage / Cairngorms?

services is not viable and mechanisms need to be found to establish service • Horizon 2020 programmes. models that are financially sustainable in the future. • ZipAbout: opportunity to take up their offer of providing a platform for Nonetheless, there are funding opportunities to support more conventional co-ordinating transport services. transport measures (such as LTP funding to support interchange • Liberty: potential to express interest in May 2018, for them to enhancements) and innovation and research monies to support the investigate the viability for running a service in Monmoutshire from mid- investigation and piloting of new service models. There is also potential to 2019. investigate funding through delivering savings, such as providing transport • Innovate UK Challenge Fund: to investigate digital solutions including for commissioning bodies such as the health sector, or changing business digital hubs and on-line platforms. travel policies in the Council to drive financial savings and enable the provision of car club cars. • DCMS funding. • Foundation for Integrated Transport Funding. Funding sources • NESTA. • LTP to pay for infrastructure and interchange improvements • UnLtd. • City Deal: given that Monmouthshire is receiving relatively little investment in hard infrastructure / service improvements compared to • Opportunity for Council to introduce car club to drive down business other areas, is there an opportunity to request a relatively small amount travel costs and fund new community resource. of funding to investigate more innovative rural solutions?

• CTA “Connecting Communities in Wales” funding: potential to use this funding to support the expansion of community transport schemes such as Bridges and to investigate, support and pilot new models of CT operation. Recommendations: Business case

Business Case Quantify (or qualify) the costs of lack of access and mobility:

This is not a traditional commercial business case. Rather it is about saving • Lack of access to education or training;

money, delivering services more efficiently and reducing problems • Unemployment (and % due to lack of ability to reach opportunities); associated with lack of access to services and mobility. In order to do this: • Under-employment (i.e. people not taking higher quality jobs, or Establish the cost of providing transport at the moment: having to reduce work hours due to lack of mobility);

• Level of subsidy provided to bus network; • Missed health care appointments;

• Concessionary fares reimbursement; • Number of people suffering from isolation / loneliness. • School transport contracts; Qualify future costs of failing to address problems:

• SEN provision; • Ageing population with increasing challenges of accessing facilities,

• Health care transport provision (NEPT costs NHS nationally at least health care and remaining independent

£150m p.a., and could save up to £74.5m by commissioning in more • Younger people moving away from area due to lack of opportunity joined up way); (1) Assess relative costs of providing services through better deployment of • Social care transport; alternative models.

• Council business mileage;

• Others? (taxi voucher scheme, BSOG?).

1) Community Transport Association and Urban Transport Group, March 2017: Total Transport: a better approach to commissioning non-emergency patient transport? http://www.ctauk.org/UserFiles/Documents/UTGCTATotalTransportReport.pdf Recommendations: Action Plan

The long-list of recommended measures shows the many different actions • Investigate the opportunity for a pilot DRT service to be trialled in a locality that can be taken to improve the availability and quality of transport in (e.g. a commuter service to/from Severn Tunnel Junction rail station).

Monmouthshire. • Investigate with ZipAbout the opportunity to use their platform to bring We have sought to show this in a way where many of these actions are together transport operators services onto one platform.

building blocks to work towards a longer-term position where there is • Investigate with ZipAbout the potential for building a user platform that integrated service provision and co-ordination, and high quality passenger provides comprehensive travel information and a journey planner.

information, which has the potential to migrate into a full ‘Rural MaaS’. • Commission Community Councils to undertake transport needs research In the short-term, we therefore recommend that you focus on delivering with their communities, including an understanding of the types of journey measures that are in the Local Transport Plan, that expand already successful different types of people want to make, potential demand for specific service models and that start to research and pilot new service models. services, and the potential for providing some services locally, to reduce Our recommended priority projects are: the need to travel.

• Improve interchanges, as per LTP proposed measures; • Initiate stakeholder discussions with Health Board and Social Services to investigate the opportunity for them to commission some transport • Investigate the opportunity to expand the Bridges Community Car Scheme services from existing providers. to cover the whole of Monmouthshire (utilising Connecting Communities funding). This should include updating the web portal to enable better • Undertake a rapid review to assess the amount of business mileage marketing and awareness, and to facilitate sharing of information with distance and costs for Council business travel and the potential scale of broader transport supplier and user information portals (below). savings that could be made in order to decide whether worth pursuing.

• Undertake a review of current Grass Routes operation to examine the • Undertake a pilot in one area where there is an attempt to bring together opportunity to improve efficiency of operations, update back office transport operator information onto platform, understand community systems to enable real time vehicle tracking, improve customer-facing transport needs and assess the potential for commissioned services.

information and ease of registration and sign-up. Investigate the • Hold clarification discussions with Liberty with a view to submitting opportunity to enable more immediate passenger bookings. community application by May 2018. Recommendations: Actions: Researching access and movement needs

Understanding community needs Research project: . Given changes on demographics and lifestyles, changes in transport supply and opportunities around new technology-enabled service models, research to understand contemporary movement needs would be useful in assessing how transport provision could best respond to current and future needs and unmet needs. We recommend a research study incorporating the following elements:

• Use of mobile phone data to track journeys and to understand journey times and volumes (MG has spoken to EE about potential). Possible use of Modalgo to assist with tracking individual movements.

• User-based research to understand different access and movement needs at the local level, amongst different types of users (older people, commuters, younger people, families etc.). To be undertaken by Community Councils as part of their role in Community-led planning.

• In association with the above, to inform the way in which information is provided about transport services, the user-based research should also investigate how different types of people in different geographical locations search for information and the information support they require throughout their journey (see Movement research project on slide xx).

• Crowd-sourcing mechanism: is there a way to get requests from community. Appendix A. Good practice case studies Introduction

This section introduces a range of good practice case studies around the The following case studies of improving transport provision are presented:

two themes of Improving accessibility and Improving transport provision. • Strengthening the rural bus network: Lincolnshire InterConnect;

The following case studies of strengthening village services are presented: • Marketing bus services (various);

• Business rates reduced to encourage local start-ups: Camarthen; • Community transport solutions: Hackney Community Transport;

• Digital hub and training: Camarthen; • Sharing transport services: East Cambridgeshire Connect;

• Pop-up services • Demand responsive services: Slide, Arriva Click;

• Deliveries and collections: Llandogo, The Narth; • Crowd sourced services: City Mapper

• Strengthening village shops: e.g. Pwllglas Villlage shop, Cwmni Cletwr / • Utilising spare capacity: Oxfordshire Comet; Siop Cynfelyn; • ‘Community Uber’: Ride Austin, US, and Circulation, Boston, US; • Digital health: Cumbria Rural Health Forum; • Rural MaaS: Liberty, US; • On-line towns: Llandridnod Wells and Clare County, Ireland; • Transport Co-ordination: Devon Patient Transport Services booking system;

• Transport Information Portal: Gloucestershire, Zipabout

• Car clubs: rural car clubs, Harbury Warwickshire; Council car clubs: Salford;

• Ride-sharing: Faxi;

• Rural e-bikes: Isle of Wight and various;

• Transport Interchanges: Mobil.Punkt, Bremen Improving access to services

Case study: pop-up services Case study: Encouraging local services Llanover is a small village south of Abergavenny with a significant • Case study of Camarthen dropping business rates to promote new proportion of the population aged over 65 and no doctors surgery or business (to be completed) hospital. In order to reduce the need to travel to access services, a

• Camarthen Hall digital hub / training (to be completed) chiropodist visits the St John Herbert Hall in Llanover. Trellech Teas is a pop-up tea/coffee shop held in The Babington Centre, Trellech every Friday between 2:00 and 4:30pm. The service began after residents commented that there was nowhere to meet for a social get- together, and the main objective of Trellech Teas is to provide a convenient and convivial place for Trellech residents and visitors to meet old friends and make new ones over a quality cup of coffee and slice of home made cake. Trellech Teas started in 2012 and still takes place weekly A similar

service exists in Llandogo village hall (1).

Trellech Teas, 2012

1) Monmouthshire Beacon, ‘Pop up’ teas served at Trellech, 2012 Improving access to services: strengthening services in village shops

Mrs Milk – The Narth & District Pwllglas village shop (2) Deliveries of milk, bread, newspapers and a variety of dairy and baked After closure in the 1990s, a local store in the village of Pwllglas, Denbighshire products are available from Mrs Milk, who delivers throughout The Narth and was re-opened by the local community three years ago thanks to help from District. Residents are able to place orders via ringing a telephone number or the Big Lottery Fund’s Village SOS programme. The shop forms part of the sending an email. The Narth Community Plan identifies that just under half of community hall and is run as a social enterprise. Prior to opening, there was respondents currently use the service and knowledge of the service was good no shop in the village and no meeting place for people. Additionally, the local

(1). bus company went out of business so it was difficult for those without a car to Brown’s Stores, Llandogo get what they needed. This store has arranged a medicine collection service, with prescriptions Now, the shop and community hall gives residents of Pwllglas an opportunity delivered to the store and distributed to local residents when they come into to purchase goods, access services and somewhere to congregate. The shop is the shop. open 7 days a week and provides innovative services such as a Thai delivery service, a dry cleaning service and a shop lottery. They also offer vegetable boxes from local producers and take bulk orders for heating oil which means that local people can heat their homes at a reduced rate. The shop receives a weekly delivery of fresh local vegetables, sells products made by local people and allows business to advertise on the community noticeboard. The shop has 3 employees but is supported by over 20 volunteers. Sharon, the Chair of the Board of Directors notes that “Four of our volunteers are over 80 years old and some of them have recently lost their partners. Volunteering at the shop has really helped them with their grieving and issues around

loneliness and made them feel part of village life” (2)

Pwllglas village shop

1) The Narth & District Community Plan Steering Group, The Narth & District Community Led Plan, 2015 2) The Big Blog Wales, So much more than a shop, 2016 Improving access to services: strengthening services in village shops

The Jambusters initiative started in 2015 following a surplus of fruit has seen Cwmni Cletwr / Siop Cynfelyn local residents producing chutneys and jams in the kitchen when the Siop is Cwni Cletwr in Ceredigion is a company limited by guarantee formally creates closed on a Monday. Produce is then sold in the Shop and also used in the in April 2012. The company. Following the closure of the Cletwr Garage in Café. Much of the produce is made from fruit and vegetables grown in 2010 a group of local people decided to re open it as a non profit community resident’s gardens. venture. The Shop and Café re-opened in 2013. The Café has recently been made a Tourist Information point by Ceredigion Through the Shop and Café local people now benefit from a range of services. County Council to enable tourist and locals to be provided with information Reverse Credit Account – enables locals to pre pay for their goods through on local attractions and services. prepaying into an account which is then used to pay for goods in Siop Club Cosy which operates in the village and is ran through the Company Cynfelyn. This enables locals to shop without having to remember to take brings local people together to bulk buy their oil and electricity. Services are money with them, send children into the shop without giving them cash to still delivered to individual’s homes and are paid for separately but by coming carry, allow goods to be purchased at the end of the month once wages have together for the purchasing members were able to save £150 in electricity in been used up and to also support the shop in bulk buying goods to improve 2015 and 5p+ a liter on oil for heating. the range and quality of stock. Many other initiatives and events are held at the Shop including Welsh Customers are currently spending £25k per year through this scheme. language classes and sessions, talks and book signings and a range of events The shop promotes bulk ordering to support residents in saving money. Items at Christmas. such as disposable nappies, mainstream or more specialist foods can be ordered from a catalogue. Through paying wholesale prices plus a 10% margin residents typically receive a discount of 15% on normal retail prices. Residents are also able to buy local lamb reared in the local area. Improving access to services: digital connectivity

Cumbria Rural Health Forum (1) Llandrindod Wells: on-line town The Cumbria Rural Health Forum, led by the University of Cumbria, brings In 2016, Llandrindod Wells became the first town in Wales to install an open- together around 50 public, private and third sector organisations with the access wi-fi system. The wifi-system was funded through the Tesco s106 common aim of exploring whether ‘digital can help as part of the rural development fund and Powys County Council’s regeneration grant. solution’. The term ‘digital health’ is used to refer to information and The system was installed by Telemat, a Welsh company, in several locations communications technologies to replace, augment or complement around the town including the public transport interchange. Residents and conventional face to face health and social care delivery. visitors are able to access the free wi-fi by logging onto a system via a portal So far, the Cumbria Rural Health Forum has mainly focused on health and page that is part of the town’s new website. care services rather than public health. However, Cumbria County Council Cllr Avril York, Powys County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration has piloted the www.kooth.com web-based counselling service which offers said: ‘The system will benefit local people, residents and visitors and will emotional and mental health support for children and young people. provide access at places in Llandrindod Wells where events and gatherings

The potential for ‘digital health’ and other digital services should be explored take place.’ (3) in the Vale of Usk. A success story has already been present regarding library visits in Monmouthshire, as in recent years there has been an increase in visits to online services and in 2015/16 online visits accounted for 27% of

visits to libraries (2)

1) Local Government Association, Health and well-being in rural areas, 2017 2) Monmouthshire Public Service Board, Well-Being Assessment, 2017 3) Local Gov, Welsh town first to install free wi-fi, 2016 Improving access to services: an overarching approach Case Study: County Clare

Clare County Council, in the West of Ireland, aims to make rural Clare a The project in receipt of the largest funding allocation (€200,000) is the more attractive place to live through the development of technology-based Traderee Food Court in Newmarket-on-Fergus. The development involves solutions. The Council published a Rural Development Strategy earlier this the development of an incubation unit for four food-related start-ups, a year (2017) that details a 10 year plan. production kitchen and a training unit. The strategy advocates the development of community-run multi-service In Ennistymon, there is a proposed ‘Multi-Service Innovation Centre’ in centres which offering GP, postal, social protection, health transport, which will provide support for private enterprise, public services and tourism advice and information from a single building. information. The five local digital hubs are to be located in Kilrush, Feakle, Miltown In Kilrush/Kilkee, two buildings will be converted in each town, with a Malbay, Ennis and Enistymon and are to be set up over the next 18 months combined purpose of providing for the development of Enterprise Hubs, Hot with high-speed broadband. The digital hubs will have a wide range of uses; Desk Facilities, Digital Hubs, Creative Hubs, Training Facilities and a Tourism “So if you’re a farmer who wants to file your returns or a commuter who Information Hub. wants to work ‘from home’ a couple of days a week, you can go to your The programme also includes budget for the development of a rural car local digital hub and take care of your business,” said Mr Ring (Minister for pooling app. Rural and Community Development (1) €944,000 is being allocated to Clare County Council to support the Rural Regeneration Strategy under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2017,

an initiative under the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development. (2)

1) The Irish Times, 10-year plan to make Clare a rural integration hot spot, 2017 2) Clare County Council, Major Investment in Clare’s rural communities, 2017 Improving transport: enhancing the rural network Case Study: Lincolnshire InterConnect

Lincolnshire InterConnect is one of the longest standing and most celebrated rural bus networks. In 2001, the County Council, in partnership with the operators, reorganised the network to provide a simpler core network of high frequency inter-urban bus services, supported with Call Connect demand responsive services feeding into the main routes. Through tickets are available on most routes. The base map for the InterConnect services and the locallised Call Connect guides can all be viewed on the InterConnect website. An interactive map allows the user to click on routes to automatically bring up timetables. To use Call Connect, passengers must register (which is free). People can register and book journeys on-line (or by phone). A call centre provides support Monday to Saturday. Call Connect has expanded to neighbouring areas, such as Rutland and North Lincolnshire.

http://lincsinterconnect.com/ Improving transport: Better Marketing of bus services

The bus industry is notorious for poor quality marketing. Lack of marketing contributes to low awareness of services and poor brand image. However, there are several examples where bus services have been well marketed. Trent Barton is nationally recognised as one of the best marketed bus companies in the country. It brands each bus route and conducts consultation and market research with local communities to ensure the route, brand and even the interior of the bus are designed to resonate with the communities they serve. Trent Barton have also been at the forefront of developing ticketing products, targeting their user groups, including products aimed at commuters, young people and groups. They offer a money back guarantee for services that are heavily delayed, their drivers have customer care training and each route has a dedicated route manager. The New Forest National Park Authority developed a specialist visitor product, the New Forest Tour to target visitors to the area. First Group have branded their visitor-focused Dorset routes “The Jurassic Coast” and maintain consistent branding and visual identity across the fleet, bus stop flags, website and bus timetables. https://www.firstgroup.com/wessex-dorset-south-somerset/more/jurassic- coaster/jurassic-coaster-timetables Improving transport: community transport

Hackney Community Transport: http://www.hackneyct.org/ Bristol (2):

The Hackney Community Transport group is a social enterprise providing • Bristol Community Transport is Bristol’s largest community transport transport services and community services in Bristol, Guernsey, London operator. Services fall into three broad categories; mainstream bus services, and Yorkshire. Hackney CT started life by agreement of 30 community transport for community groups and individual transport. Individual groups to share their transport services. Now they run services in transport includes:

different geographic locations. • Dial-a-Ride: The Citywide Dial-a-Ride service is available to residents of Jersey / Guernsey: Bristol who are unable to access conventional public transport and operates

• The LibertyBus service is an easy to use and accessible to all bus from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

service that covers the island. The network of bus routes provides • Personal Car Service: Our cars are the perfect solution if you need pre- a high frequency of services to the main shopping centres, booked, guaranteed transport to take you directly to your destination with workplaces, beaches and visitor attractions. All have one to one support and assistance from your Driver/Escort. Community

Witney (2) buses: Helping older and disabled people reach a variety of essential local facilities such as post offices, medical centres and shops. All services • West Oxfordshire Community Transport is run by a group of operate a flexible route, so the bus can collect passengers from their homes volunteers from across the community in Witney. In 2017, the and vary where they are dropped off. group founded a not-for-profit bus service in replacement of lost GoRide bus routes in the area. The service connects estates in • Day trips: Day Trips are a popular addition to the range of community bus Witney with the town centre and now has three buses. services.

• DART Shopper Service: Weekly, bi-weekly and monthly scheduled services to local supermarkets and shopping centres.

• Bristol Car Club: Wheelchair accessible car hire with vehicles that are specially designed to accommodate at least one passenger in a wheelchair, and up to four other passengers.

1) LibertyBus, Why use the bus, 2013 2) Bristol Community Transport, About us 3) Oxford Mail, Community group launches new bus services as it eyes expansion outside Witney, 2017 Improving transport: integrating service provision Case Study: East Cambridgeshire Connect

East Cambridgeshire Connect is a Total Transport pilot project that was launched in April 2017. The project offers flexible, demand responsive, door to door minibus service available to all between 7am and 7pm on weekdays. The service allows the whole East Cambridgeshire District and allows any member of the public to travel between two points in that area. The price for a single journey is £4 for adults, £2 for children and £2 for concessions. Journeys are booked by telephone or email and can be made between two weeks and one day in advance of travel. Regular journeys can also be taken. The service integrates a number of different previous services, such as dedicated social care transport, weekly local bus services and specialist dial-a-ride. The service specification was put out to tender and the successful operator is Ely & Soham Association of Community Transport (ESACT). There is a range of benefits felt by the service. Firstly, there is better service availability and ability to address diverse needs and demands, including greater personalisation of social care. There is greater choice for users and better utilisation of vehicles. Additionally, the integration removes duplication of services. The cost is also neutral. Improving transport: making the most out of under-used resources Oxfordshire Comet

(to be completed) . Oxfordshire County Council withdrew funding to most of its subsidised bus services, spending its money primarily on school transport and SEN transport. A fleet of minibuses fulfil most of these journeys. There was an opportunity to use these minibuses to offer community services during the day time between the morning and afternoon school runs. The service has been branded the Comet and is open to anyone. It can be booked for exclusive use, for group travel or for shared travel. Indicative costs are:

• Exclusive use - 5 mile journey from £7

• Shared travel - 5 mile journey from £3.50

• Group bookings - minimum of £20 per hour to cover our basic costs.

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/sites/default/files/folders/documents/roadsandtransport/publictransport/Comet_A5Leaflet_web.pdf Improving transport: demand responsive services: Case Study: Slide, Bristol

Slide Bristol is a shared travel-to-work ride service operated by public transport operator RAPT Dev. It is an app- based demand-responsive high quality minibus service that roughly follows key commuter corridors. The app uses location data to match demand (passengers) with supply (vehicles); users request a pick up within a time window

within the proximity of the main corridor (1) The service is available from 06:45- 09:45 and 15:30- 19:30 Monday to Friday. The goal is to create an affordable but convenient grouped service – with commuters as the target audience. Users can book a week in advance or just 10 minutes before they want to travel. Fares start from £4 – the same price as a day ticket on First’s network in Bristol – and there are discounts for regular users in the form of credits. It is estimated that it replaced 10,000 car miles in the first two months, with 60% growth in users per week in its first month (2)

1) Slide Bristol 2) Passenger Transport, Taking a ride on Slide – a new option, 2016 Improving transport: demand responsive services: Case Study: Arriva Click, Sittingbourne

Launched in March 2017, Arriva click is an on-demand minibus service based in Sittingbourne. The service covers a 19 square kilometre zone including the rail station and science park and is served by 5 minibuses. The service operates between 06:00 and 22:00 each day and are routed/scheduled in real time. A ‘corner to corner’ service is provided from and to virtual bus stops (pick up/drop off points) and transport is normally provided within 11 minutes of request. The average trip length is 2.5 kilometres. Journeys are booked on the app which is managed by US ride-share system, Via and fares are £3.50. New vehicles are disability accessible, with wide side doors and flat floor access. Also, when booking it will be possible to request wheelchair or buggy space, to avoid conflicting demands. Arriva considers the Click service concept to provide opportunities for rural areas and to blend with specialist forms of transport, such as health and social care. Furthermore, 52% of users previously travelled by car, reflecting the success of the scheme at encouraging more sustainable travel. Improving transport: crowd sourced services: City Mapper

The transport app, City Mapper, has introduced its first commercial CM2 night bus. Using the data it accumulates through users of its app, it spotted a gap in the London network and has put on a commercial night bus service in East London. The buses are tracked via tablets. Drivers utilise City Mapper’s “headway management system” to keep buses running optimally. The buses come equipped with smart displays and USB chargers, accept contactless ticketing and Apple Pay / Android Pay.

https://medium.com/citymapper/cm2-night-rider-our-first-commercial-bus-route-d9d7918be899 Improving transport: shared transport Case Study: Ride Austin

Ride Austin is a not-for-profit ride sharing app that was introduced when Partnering to deliver health care services Uber and Lyft quit Austin in 2016. By being not for profit, drivers earn more Dell Medical School at The University of Texas, RideAustin and the and passengers pay less. 2m trips were made in first year of operation. Ride Community Care Collaborative (CCC) have joined forces to use ride-share Austin are committed to open data to provide transparency and promote services to help uninsured and low-income residents of Travis County research. They have a round up function that donates to charity and has access the care they need. CCC received a Transportation Empowerment raised $250k over first year. They offer various features, including fare Fund grant from Capital Metro Transportation Authority in March to estimate, ETA, split fare and female driver option for female passengers. develop a pilot program that would allow residents to request a ride to and from a medical appointment. The program is designed to give patients free and convenient transportation to medical appointments and pharmacies within the CCC network, initially targeting patients with the most need for transportation assistance. Dell Med said that its Design Institute for Health is analyzing and researching the CCC patient population’s specific needs and how the program will improve existing voucher programs, aiming to gather data on the technological literacy of the population and its usage of data plans and apps. The institute will also help with the selection, on-boarding and training of patients for an initial prototype, which is slated to launch in August.

http://www.rideaustin.com/ Improving transport: case study: Circulation: demand responsive services to health care facilities

For many people making it to an appointment poses a difficulty. They may not own a car or another mode of transit; public transportation in their area may be unreliable or non-existent. Where transportation is an issue, on-demand services like Uber have a way of edging in as the obvious solution. Robin Heffernan, a former venture capitalist and entrepreneur in the healthcare space, saw an opportunity to link ride-share services with healthcare providers, and founded Circulation in 2016 as a partnership between Uber and a handful of Boston-based medical practices to provide free rides to non-emergency medical appointments. After a successful pilot launch in Boston late last year, the company has since raised nearly $10 million and expanded to around 1,000 healthcare facilities around the country. Compared to the industry-wide no-show rate of around 25%, those facilities that use Circulation have brought that number down to 8%.

https://www.circulation.com/ Improving transport: shared transport Case study: Liberty

Liberty Mobility Now (Liberty) is a rural and small urban Mobility as a Service (MaaS) provider. They are on a mission to connect communities through technology, public-private partnerships, and deploying Liberty Drivers where there is need. They provide advanced smart phone technology designed to work in rural areas for individuals to request trips as well a call center for those who want to visit with a person to set up an account or book a trip. With Liberty individuals can access multiple transportation options with one tap, click, or call. Liberty is also working with the medical community so that hospitals and other health facilities can book rides on behalf of their patients. As part of its “caregiver platform,” the company will work with these clients to see if grants and other funds can cover the cost of the rides (1) If someone requests a ride far in advance, the company may refer him or her to a cheaper or more efficient public-transit alternative. Similarly, transit agencies like Panhandle Trails would refer their clients to Liberty if bus service isn’t available. “Public transportation is always going to be cheaper, but the benefit is they’ll have another resource,” says Lefler.

1) The Atlantic Daily, Uber but for Rural Nebraska, 2016 Improving Transport: co-ordinated booking and planning systems Case Study: Patient Transport Advice Service, Devon County Council

The Patient Transport Advice Service is a Total Transport pilot project launched in 2016. The project demonstrates joint working between Devon County Council and the NHS (Clinical Commissioning Group). The service provides a single point for health journey bookings and referrals located within DCC. Staff determine eligibility for non-emergency patient transport and place booking where required. For those not eligible, staff can advise on other options – public transport and community transport. PTAS uses same bookings / scheduling system (Cleric) as patient transport service provider. NEPT provider and CCG have access to wider range of other transport suppliers to meet demands through use of DCC’s dynamic purchasing system (DPS). The service allows for better planning of transport that is less chaotic and more joined up, and provides a single point of contact for users. The service suggests the most appropriate transport, tailored to specific needs and patients are able to review services to guide others. So far, the benefits have already been recognised and the area is expanding to include Plymouth. Improving Transport: on-line portal Online portal for information, journey planning and bookings across multiple modes of transport, Gloucestershire and Somerset County Councils

Aims:

• Improve the coordination of transport resources to generate efficiencies,

• Improve information about transport solutions (and unmet transport needs), and

• Improve access to transport services Objectives:

• Supports journey planning for scheduled and unscheduled transport

• Enables booking of journeys for scheduled and unscheduled transport

• Supports purchase of County-wide tickets (and application for passes e.g. concessionary, spare seats)

• Provides business intelligence to inform on unmet demand

• Facilitates car sharing and community commissioning of transport Improving Transport: transport co-ordination and online portal: Zipabout, Oxfordshire

To be completed Improving transport: shared transport solutions Harbury e-wheels and Bristol wheelchair accessible car club car

An all-electric 2-car car club was developed in 2015 in Harbury, Warwickshire HEI (Harbury Energy Initiative). It had dual environmental and social priorities; the use of electric vehicles is linked to previous development of extensive PV panel installation on the village hall. It is operated by e-car club The focus on social and community benefit was partly in response to reduction in bus service provision in the area, and to complement and extend the reach and capacity of existing Community Transport. In its first year, the car club

• Provided transport to medical appointments and deliveries to food banks

• Accepted referrals from social care agencies and children's centres

• Delivered more than 520 miles of free transport It was developed with support from the DfT Carplus Developing Car Clubs in England programme, the Big60Million, E-car club and Coventry Diocese Together for the Community Fund.

Wheelchair accessible car club vehicles Britain’s first WAV in a car club was developed through Bristol Community Transport in partnership with Co-wheels CiC in Bristol. BCT has been providing WAVs for 30 years but these have only been available by visiting the depot during office hours and collecting keys. By including the WAV into the car club, the vehicles are available 24/7 via the Co-wheels online booking system. Steve Bullock, a scheme member says “Wheelchair accessible vehicles have made a world of difference, it has enabled me to retain some independence and get to destinations that I could not on public transport, and using taxis would be too expensive.”

https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/harbury-electric-car-club-launch/ Improving transport: shared transport solutions Case study: Salford Car Club

Salford City Council (SCC) introduced a new management regime for business travel in 2015. This involves a Travel Hierarchy which stipulates how travel on Council business should be undertaken. First, the need to travel should be questioned (can tele- or video-conferencing replace the trip or can the trip be linked with another activity), then the use of public transport, walking or cycling is promoted. Where a car is the most practicable option, staff should use the new car club or, for longer journeys, a hire car. Grey fleet should be used as a mode of last resort and requires special sign off by managers. The scheme has three primary objectives: providing financial savings for the Council, reducing environmental emissions generated by Council activity and providing community benefits (by kick- starting the provision of a local car club). Prior to the scheme, there were 384 essential car users and 1,123 casual car users at SCC. Car business mileage per annum was estimated at 1,700,000 miles. SCC paid £1.1 million in car mileage and essential user payments in 2014. After one year of running the scheme, business mileage had been reduced by 27% and total net savings of £200,000 made.

https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/salford-green-wheels-travel-plan/ Improving transport: shared transport solutions Ride sharing

Ride sharing (or “2+ carsharing”) is when two or more people share a car and travel together. It allows people to benefit from the convenience of the car and sharing travel costs whilst alleviating the associated problems of congestion and pollution. Ridesharing can contribute to community cohesion, connecting people with shared interests or similar lifestyles. Informal ridesharing is best achieved by word of mouth among existing social networks. Some communities – such as WI groups or groups of parents of scout or school groups - use sign-up sheets and – increasingly – Facebook groups. More formal ridesharing is organised through dedicated online booking systems. These allow drivers to advertise trips, passengers seeking a lift can search for journeys. One of the people travelling usually owns the car and the other(s) will generally make a contribution towards fuel and other associated costs for journeys they are making in the same direction, on a regular or one-off basis. The passenger(s) can arrange a drop-off either on-route or at the driver’s destination. These are often commissioned by larger employers or across whole areas by local councils. Further information on operators and employer case studies is available at https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/what-is-shared-mobility/2plus-car-sharing/ Liftshare’s Rural Project Liftshare is the UK’s largest car-sharing community with over 400,000 Liftshare members enjoying cheap travel by sharing car journeys. In 2015, its mobile app was launched which makes it easier to find or offer a lift to any UK destination with

easy and secure payments.(1) Working in partnership with local Community Transport, Liftshare has won £25,000 worth of funding from Nesta to explore initiatives to end rural and social isolation faced by people across Norfolk. The project is ‘HappyCT’, and aims improve on- demand transport and promote available services to potential users. The HappyCT project will be headed by Liftshares Head of Growth, Paul Gosnell who says “Community Transport is a huge industry but relatively unknown to the people it can help most – the people cut off from society due to lack of or poor transport options. Combining support, awareness, and data with technology can help connect people and CT operators which is something myself and Liftshare are

passionate about doing. Using technology to solve real problems” (2)

1) Mobile Industry Review, The Liftshare app is changing car-pooling for the better, 2015 2) Carplus, Liftshare granted funding to investigate rural and social isolation, 2015 Improving transport: enhancing links and interchanges: Mobil.punkt sustainable transport hubs

The City of Bremen introduced sustainable transport hubs (“mobil .punkt”) to promote first mile/last mile travel to interchange points. At these locations, people can change onto public transport services or into car club cars. The locations incorporate bike parking so that people can cycle to the interchange. The interchanges also incorporate electric charging infrastructure for car club cars (and for privae cars). Where possible hubs are located adjacent to cafés and shops a and locations where people can get wi-fi access. The interchanges are branded to raise profile. Improving transport: enhancing links and interchanges: rural e-bikes

E-bikes provide assistance when pedalling. Rapid advances in quality, lightness and range mean that sales are booming; in some parts of Germany and the Netherlands, e-bikes outsell pedal cycles. E-bikes appeal to both people who can-but-don’t cycle, and increasingly to younger people. Given that they often cost more than £1,000, they are increasingly being included into bikeshare. Bikeplus’ Shared Electric Bike programme (2015-16) showed that 1-in-3 users rarely cycled, users felt happier (58%) and fitter (41%), enabled longer trips to be cycled (5 miles compared to 3 by pedal bikeshare) and were popular as part of commuting. The recent Cycle Boom

project (1) demonstrated the physical and mental health benefits of access to e-bikes among older people and others recovering from illness.

Oxford’s OXONBIKE (2) and Exeter’s Co-bikes (3) are good examples on on-street public e-bike hire. In less urban areas, shared e-bikes often combine multiple user types, often residents, visitors and businesses and are based out of hosted businesses. For

example, the Isle of Wight’s Red Squirrel Bikes (4) mainly provides e-bikes out of

visitor information centres and the New Forest’s PEDALL (5) scheme includes adapted e-bikes to provide opportunities of less able people to enjoy cycling.

Several schemes provide e-bike loans. Rotherham’s Journey Matters (6) offers e-bikes on loan to employees, job-seekers and the public via a popular mobile hub, aiming to attract commuters who previously do not cycle with short loans. Further details on these case studies and more are available at https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/projects/shared-e-bikes/

1) https://www.cycleboom.org/ 4) https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/project_page/isle-of-wight-red-squirrel-bikes/ 2) https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/project_page/oxonbike-oxford/ 5) https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/project_page/new-forest-pedall/ 3) https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/project_page/co-bikes-exeter/ 6) https://www.carplusbikeplus.org.uk/project_page/rotherham-journey-matters/